William and Harry pay tribute to their mum 20 years on

Princes William and Harry have paid a quiet tribute to their mother Princess Diana, a day before the 20th anniversary of her death that has reignited interest in one of the world's most famous women.

Diana's two sons on Wednesday met representatives of the charities she supported in a public garden at Kensington Palace, their home and where their mother lived until she was killed in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997.

Outside the palace gates supporters of the royal family gathered in the rain to mark the occasion, with many praising Diana's sons for keeping her in the public memory.

"Everyone remembers where they were the day she died, and when they heard about it," said 74-year-old Nancy Purinton, on holiday with her husband from the US. "It was pretty dramatic."

Sheltering under umbrellas, William, Harry and Kate took a tour of the renamed White Garden, which has been transformed temporarily with white English roses and forget-me-nots planted earlier this year.

The palace's head gardener and a gardener who knew Diana from her frequent visits to the spot, usually known as the Sunken Garden, explained the design and pointed out some of the princess's favourite plants.

After touring the garden, the princes met representatives from causes Diana had supported, including Great Ormond Street Hospital, the National Aids Trust and The Leprosy Mission.